Boat-control device



June 23, 1925. 1,543,082

. B. G. HARLEY BOAT CONTROL DEVICE Filed March 31, 1923 Inventor 3% 3) Patented .lune 23, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERTRON G. HARLEY, NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT L. ELLSWORTH, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

BOAT-CONTROL nnvron.

Application filed March 31, 1923. Serial No. 629,084.

- of the boat without the necessity of providing reverse devices in the propelling mechanism, thereby eliminating the harmful stresses incident to reversing and effect-- ing a material reduction in the cost of the mechanical equipment of the boat.

The principal feature of the invention consists in providing a member adapted to r be lowered from the hull of the boat to project into the water and form an ell'ectivc brake and to intercept the backward flow ot water from the propeller and direct it for- 'wardly to create a backward movement oil the boat.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitu- 30 dinal sectional view of a portion of a boat hull showing the braking device and the propeller in the raised position.

Figure 2 is a similar sectional view showing the braking device lowered with the propeller shown in the position to effect the reversing of the boat.

Figure 3 is a similar sectional View showing the braking member in the raised position and the propeller lowered for normal forward propulsion.

Figure 1- is a transverse sectional view on the line l:l of Figure 3 looking toward the rear.

It is well known that in the handling of 4 boats the propelling mechanism and the hull.

structure are subject to undesirablestresses in the checking of the forward speed by the reverse operation of the propeller. Further, in very small boats where the minimum power plant is used, reversing mechanisms are not installed owing to the expense involved.

The present invention is applicable to various sizes and types, of boats in accomplishing the checking of the speed and the reversal of movement of the boat.

7 In the form of the invention herein illustrated the bottom 1 or" the hull of the boat is formed with an opening 2 and a casing 3 open at the bottom closes the opening.

The rearward end of the casing 3 is preferably formed with an arc-shaped portion i. Extending between the side walls and within the casing is arranged a member 5 comprising an arc-shaped plate 6 having side arms 7 which are provided with journal extensions 8 and 9. The journal. extension 8 extends into a closed journal-10' arranged in one side or the casing 3 and the extension 9 extends through a journal 11 which is 7 provided with a suitable stuffing boX 12.

A suitable control lever 13 is secured to the end of the extension 9 to swing the mem her 5 downwardly or upwardly.

The propeller 14 is here shown as having a flexible connection with the engine shaft and is housed within the casing 3 and is adapted to be raised or lowered, but such an arrangen'icnt of the propeller is not es scntia-l to the operation of my braking and reversing device.

The control lever 13 is shown provided with a suitable latch 15 operating in conjunction with a notched quadrant 16 to hold the plate 6 in any desired position.

In operating this device the member is retained in its raised position when the boat is moving forward but when it is desired to check the speed of the boat the member 5 is swung upon its pivot to project below the bottom of the hull so that the transverse plate 6 is brought into engage ment with the water, thus providing a direct brake upon the speed. This braking eliect maybe regulated very accurately according to the depth to which the member 6 is projected into the water below the hull.

The member 6 is preferably formed arcshaped to present the most effective gripping contact with the water but principally to co operate with the propeller in accomplishing the reversing ot' the boat.

The back wall 4 of the casing 3 is preferably arc-shaped to correspond with the arc shape of the plate 6 and practically forms a continuation of the plate 6 when said plate is lowered.

lVhen the plate 6 is lowered it curves do\vn\vardly and forwardly, projecting below ti 0 propeller which is preferably moved to the raised position shown when the boat is to be reversed. The operation of: the propeller drives the water reorwerdlv into contat with the arc-shaped casing 3 and .he plate 6 and the flow of the water is directed downwardh and forwardly. This forward flow of water causes the boat to move backward, thus the backing of the bout may be accomplished without the necessity of a clutch and a reversing gear on the engine sha ft and as the checking of: the speed of the boat is effectively accomplished by the member 6 the heat be handled very positively. I

A device such as described is of such a simple nat ure that it lends itself very readily to use in small launches but it must be under stood. that the principle here shown may be adapted to quite large vesrels. being merely a matter of evolving the proper design and proportions.

hat I claim as my invention i.

1. A boat control device, comnrisiu r, the combination with a hull having an arched recess in its bottom, a plate curved to cormes es respond to the curvature of said recess and having: forwardly extending side members pivotally supported in the sides ofthe recess, and means for swinging ssitl members on their pivots to move said plate downwardly to project. into the water below the hull and to lift it clear.

2. In a boat control device, a boat having a recess in its bottom formed with a rearwz-irdlv curving arch and substantially parsides, a member housed in said. recess and having arms arranged parallel with the sides thereof, and means extending through the side of the recess foroperating said member to. project it into the water below the hull and to return it into the recess.

In a boat control device, a boat having); a recess in its bottom formed with a rearwardlv curving arch, a propeller adapted to he raisez; and lowered in said recess, amemher dsptcd to be lowered from the hull of the boat back oi the propeller and curved to form a forward extension of the rearwardiy curved arch to divert the backward flow ot Water from the propeller-"in a forward direction.

BERTRON G. HARLEY. 

